Stop Picking Fights with Him!

In the First Elder's courtyard, Xiao Ning woke up from the pain.

"Hiss!"

Xiao Ning jolted upright in bed, still sick, and gazed around in confusion.

His memory was hazy.

The last thing he remembered was being pinned beneath someone and beaten mercilessly.

What happened after that had been so horrific that it barely felt real, almost like a dream.

Creak!

The First Elder entered, carrying a box of ointment. Maybe it was just Xiao Ning's imagination.

He couldn't shake the feeling that his grandfather looked unusually pale today!

"Grandpa—hiss!"

Xiao Ning had barely begun to speak when the wound on his head pulled. He sucked in a sharp breath, the pain bringing tears to his eyes.

"Don't talk yet. You'll only aggravate the injury on your head."

The First Elder applied ointment to Xiao Ning's head, and only then did Xiao Ning feel a little better.

Although Xiao Ze had used Dou Qi to cover Xiao Ning's head in bumps, he hadn't meant to seriously injure him or do him lasting harm.

Still, a little intimidation and punishment had been necessary!

Xiao Ze had deliberately used Dou Qi to leave him with a head full of bumps—painful and slow to heal.

Even with medicine, Xiao Ning would have to endure the pain for the next few days, all while sporting a head swollen like a pig's.

"Grandpa, what exactly happened? Did that guy who beat me, Xiao Ze, get punished?"

The First Elder had only just finished applying the ointment when Xiao Ning hurriedly asked.

The First Elder gave him an odd look.

"Don't you remember what happened in the Dou Technique Pavilion?"

Xiao Ning froze for a moment, then began searching through his memories.

"I remember him pinning me down and beating me. Maybe the pain was so bad that I started hallucinating, but I saw you fighting the clan leader..."

"It wasn't a hallucination!" the First Elder interrupted.

Xiao Ning stared at him in shock, then looked at him with concern.

"Grandpa, you weren't hurt, were you? The clan leader is a Five-Star Da Dou Shi!"

"It's nothing serious." The First Elder shook his head.

"Then you still haven't told me—did Xiao Ze get punished?"

Xiao Ning still couldn't stop thinking about Xiao Ze. Even after his grandfather applied the ointment, his head still hurt.

He didn't need a mirror to know what he looked like. His head had probably turned into a giant pig's head.

There was no way Xiao Ning didn't resent Xiao Ze!

At that, the First Elder sat upright and looked at Xiao Ning sternly. "He wasn't punished at all. From now on, don't pick fights with him again!"

"What? Why not? Grandpa, you're the First Elder! You have to avenge me!"

Xiao Ning couldn't believe it. His grandfather had always doted on him.

How could he say something like this now, and tell him not to provoke Xiao Ze?

"I've temporarily stepped down as First Elder. Sigh, Xiao Ning, it's time for you to grow up."

The First Elder sighed and spoke to Xiao Ning earnestly.

While Xiao Ning was unconscious, the First Elder had prepared the ointment and watched him lying in bed, his heart aching for him.

But he had also come to understand something.

Now that Xiao Zhan had Xiao Ze, a heaven-sent prodigy of a son, his influence in the clan was immense. There was no point in trying to contend with him for power anymore.

Since he had been stripped of the First Elder's position, he should accept it and keep his head down instead of causing more trouble.

After some time, if he earned the Xiao Clan a merit or two, he might be able to reclaim his position as First Elder.

But if he kept opposing Xiao Zhan, having his cultivation crippled and being expelled from the Xiao Clan might be the mildest punishments he faced.

Xiao Ning knew nothing of his grandfather's change of heart.

When he heard that his grandfather was no longer the First Elder, it struck him like a bolt from the blue. He sat there, stunned.

"How is that possible? The clan leader couldn't just strip you of your position so easily, could he?"

Xiao Ning asked in shock. The First Elder patted his shoulder, calming him down.

Then he slowly recounted what had happened in the Dou Technique Pavilion after Xiao Ning lost consciousness.

"Xiao Ze is a Nine-Star Dou Zhe?!"

Xiao Ning cried out and couldn't help touching his head.

He'd actually survived a beating from a Nine-Star Dou Zhe?

As the shock wore off, Xiao Ning began to understand.

It wasn't that Xiao Ze couldn't have killed him. He'd only wanted to teach him a lesson, not take his life.

Xiao Ning was immensely relieved that Xiao Ze had still considered him a fellow clan member!

Otherwise, he might not have lived to see his grandfather again!

His resentment at being beaten into a pig's head quickly faded, too.

"Not worth provoking, not worth provoking. He's really not worth provoking!" Xiao Ning muttered.

The First Elder's eyes softened with relief when he heard that.

What worried him most was that his grandson might act rashly and insist on opposing Xiao Ze.

"Exactly. Xiao Ze is someone you absolutely cannot afford to provoke. As for me, I've only lost the position of First Elder for the time being."

The First Elder advised him earnestly.

"If you do well in the future, there's still a chance you could return to the position of First Elder."

"Once Xiao Ze grows up, our Xiao Clan will surely prosper even more."

"Then, with the authority of the First Elder's position, I'll be able to secure even more cultivation resources for you."

"You need to make an effort, too. Train hard and stop wasting your days."

Xiao Ning looked at the First Elder's face, which seemed to have aged several years. His eyes stung, and his nose turned sour.

His grandfather had done so much for him, swallowing his pride and even trying to curry favor with Xiao Ze!

He couldn't keep acting recklessly, either. He had to listen to his grandfather!

"I understand, Grandpa. I won't provoke Xiao Ze again. When I get the chance, I'll apologize to Xiao Yan!"

The First Elder seized the opportunity to add, "If you can get Xiao Yan to put in a good word for you and improve Xiao Ze's impression of you, that would be even better."

"Mm!" Xiao Ning nodded solemnly.

After his grandfather's advice, he now understood that Xiao Ze was the hope of the Xiao Clan's future rise.

There was no harm in clinging to that thigh!

"All right, get some more rest. You're not allowed out until the injury on your head heals!"

The First Elder helped Xiao Ning lie back down. It seemed Xiao Ning had grown up a little from this experience, too.

He obediently nodded and lay still in bed.

In the back hills.

Xiao Ze flashed aside, dodging Xiao Xun'er's attack.

"All right, that's enough for today. Too much of a good thing can be harmful."

At Xiao Ze's words, Xiao Xun'er let out a long breath. After their fierce sparring, she was drenched in sweat.

"Brother Xiao Ze, I feel like I've gotten much better at using the Swallow Return Strike."

"Good. Try to master the Swallow Return Strike as soon as you can. It's better to master one thing than to dabble in a hundred. As a high-grade Mystic-class Dou Technique, the Swallow Return Strike is powerful enough to challenge opponents above your level—and even those in a higher realm."

After speaking, Xiao Ze took a box from a hidden corner and opened it. Inside were some basic seasonings for roasting meat.

"Are we having barbecue today?"

"That's right. Xun Er, go check whether that nearby rabbit nest has any new kits. Bring back one or two."

"Got it!"

Xiao Xun'er replied playfully. Like a nimble butterfly, she darted toward the far side of the woods.

Xiao Ze stayed where he was, getting ready to roast the rabbits.

Rabbits often overran the back hills of the Xiao Clan. Sometimes, the clan even had to send its disciples out specifically to thin their numbers.

After all, rabbits had huge litters and short breeding cycles. Without predators, their population could easily explode.

Xiao Ze often took Xiao Xun'er to the back hills to catch rabbits and roast them.

In a way, they were helping ease the burden on the Xiao Clan's disciples.

Before long, Xiao Xun'er returned, holding a rabbit by each ear.

One rabbit's feet kicked frantically, while the other's eyes were glazed over.

Seeing this, Xiao Ze couldn't help laughing. A familiar old verse came to mind.

The male rabbit's feet kicked frantically; the female rabbit's eyes were glazed over.

Of course, both male and female rabbits kicked their feet and had glazed eyes, so that wasn't a reliable way to tell them apart.

Xiao Ze took the rabbits and inspected them briefly. Sure enough, they were both female.

He was very practiced at preparing rabbits.

Before long, the two skinned rabbits were roasting over the fire.

As the flames licked them, golden fat seeped through the meat and dripped into the fire with a sizzling sound.

As dusk drew near, the woods darkened, and the firelight was all that illuminated their faces.

Xiao Ze focused on roasting the rabbits. Beside him, Xiao Xun'er sat quietly, her eyes half closed as she watched him.

Apart from the chirping of insects and birds, the only sound around them was the crackling of the firewood.

It was a little noisy, yet somehow it made them both feel warm and content.

Dear readers, please give the book a follow! Recommendations are now based entirely on read-throughs, so please take a moment to scroll to the very end of the book. I'm on my knees, thanking you!

(The End of This Chapter)